PRESS RELEASE : Teachers and School Leaders Demand Better [December 2022]

The press release issued by the TUC on 15 December 2022.

Each of our unions (NASUWT, NEU, NAHT, and UCAC) is balloting members for industrial action on pay and the Wales TUC is fully supporting these ballots. We are united on the need to protect your pay against current inflation and to restore its real terms value, and for those pay rises to be fully funded by Local Authorities and the Welsh Government.

Since 2010, a series of below inflation pay awards, ‘caps’ and ‘affordability’ criteria have cut your pay by more than 20 per cent. At every salary point across the main, upper and leadership pay ranges the cumulative losses over this twelve-year period run into many tens of thousands of pounds.

These losses also affect the future value of your pension. Lower salaries mean lower contributions, which produce lower pensions at retirement.

CPI inflation currently stands at a staggering 11 per cent, and RPI at 14 per cent. Food prices are soaring and energy costs rocketing. Teachers and school leaders are facing yet another real terms cut to their pay.

Our unions are continuing to press governments and employers for an improved pay award, highlighting the damage that falling real pay risks to children’s and young people’s education. Wales TUC is working with the Welsh Government and other public sector employers to find solutions that work for everyone.

Responsibility also lies with the UK Government. Westminster has the capacity to ensure that all public sector workers get the settlements that they deserve, and the TUC will be pressing the UK Chancellor to increase funding to the Welsh Government.

We need fair funding for Wales – funding that properly reflects the serious pressures that our public services are confronting. Wales TUC is also seeking a meeting with the new Secretary State for Wales, to ensure he is fully behind in supporting the Welsh Government and WTUC ‘asks’ in seeking fairer funding for Wales that delivers for the people and communities of Wales.

At this critical moment, now is the time to stand together and send a clear and unequivocal message that the teaching profession demands and deserves better.

Please complete your union’s ballot paper and get it in the post box today to strengthen our demand for a better deal for teachers and school leaders.